Abstract: A wipes dispensing pouch assembly includes a flexible pouch with opposing first and second interior surfaces configured to retain moistened wipes. A single, unitary piece zipper closure couples with the interior surfaces of the pouch. The zipper closure comprises opposing first and second interlocking profiles that repeatedly mate and separate to seal and open the pouch. A connecting membrane extends between and joins the interlocking profiles, featuring a dispensing aperture for extracting wipes. An elastomeric layer may be applied to or located within the connecting membrane, enhancing the seal and reducing moisture loss. The method for manufacturing the pouch assembly involves extruding the pouch panels and the zipper closure, coupling the zipper closure to the pouch, and cutting the dispensing aperture through the connecting membrane.

Abstract: A resealable assembly of a resealable enclosure includes a first side including a first base element and first mating components operably coupled with and extending away from an interior surface of the first base element and a second side including a second base element and second mating components operably coupled with and extending away from an interior surface of the second base element. The first mating components and the second mating components are manufactured of a first flexible material. A stiffening element is operably coupled with or disposed within one of the first side of the body or the second side of the body. The stiffening element is manufactured of a second flexible material that has a modulus of elasticity that is greater than a modulus of elasticity of the first flexible material.

Abstract: A method and heat sealing assembly for creating a resealable enclosure from a mono-material film and a zipper assembly. The method involves positioning facing portions of the mono-material film and the zipper assembly between seal bars with perforating teeth, heat sealing the facing portions to the zipper assembly, and simultaneously perforating the facing portions with the perforating teeth to form lines of weakness. The lines of weakness allow a consumer to tear off the top of the resealable enclosure. The heat sealing assembly includes opposing bodies with perforating teeth that conduct heat to seal the facing portions while perforating them to create the lines of weakness. The zipper assembly includes opposing zipper profiles that repeatedly mate and separate to seal and open the enclosure. The perforating teeth can cut entirely through or partially through the mono-material film and may be arranged to create offset lines of weakness.

Abstract: A reclosable enclosure includes a body having a front panel and a back panel secured to each other and forming a cavity therebetween to store contents. The body includes a flap that extends from a top end of the body. The reclosable enclosure includes a zipper assembly coupled to an interior surface of at least the front panel. The zipper assembly includes a first profile strip and a second profile strip that form a reclosable zipper to selectively close the cavity. The flap blocks access to the reclosable zipper and is sealed to at least one of the front panel or the second profile strip in an intact state of the flap. The flap defines one or more lines of weakness to permit irreparable separation of a sub-flap from a remainder of the flap to access the reclosable zipper.

Abstract: A resealable bag assembly can include a zipper assembly between front and rear panels. The zipper assembly can include interlocking bodies that can be repeatedly opened and closed to repeatedly open and close the interior volume. The bag assembly may include a tear strip having an elongated cord that can be grasped through the tab opening in the front panel and pulled to tear an access opening through the front panel for accessing the zipper assembly. The bag assembly may include a racetrack seal between the front flange of the zipper assembly and the front panel. The racetrack seal can completely encircle the tab opening. The racetrack seal can prevent air or a contaminant from passing from outside the front and rear panels into the interior volume via the tab opening while the zipper assembly is closed.

Abstract: A biodegradable (repulpable, compostable and/or water soluble) zipper is provided for attachment to a biodegradable flexible package. The biodegradable zipper is formed using a water-soluble polymer that can be combined with a repulpable and/or compostable material, such as a plant-based cellulose material. The biodegradable zipper enables the biodegradable package to be opened and closed by the consumer, so that the consumer has the option to determine, change or manipulate the contents of the biodegradable flexible package.

Abstract: An enclosure assembly can include panels on opposite sides of an interior volume, and a zipper assembly between the panels. The zipper assembly may include a tear strip that can be pulled and tear through one of the panels and create an opening through which the zipper assembly is accessible. This panel can include a deformation pattern formed from thinned out areas of the panel that one or more of overlap or do not overlap the tear strip. The deformation pattern can reduce a pulling force needed to tear through the panel within the deformation pattern relative to outside the deformation pattern.

Abstract: A method can include obtaining a zipper assembly having front and rear flanges with interlocking elements that mate with and disengage from each other to provide a resealable opening into a bag assembly. The front flange can include a tear strip configured to be pulled away from the front flange to tear through at least one panel of the bag assembly and provide access to the interlocking elements and the resealable opening. The method also can include punching a hole through the front flange around the tear strip with a hole punch. The hole removing a first portion of the front flange and leaving a second portion of the front flange. The second portion of the front flange forming a pull tab connected to the tear strip and configured to be pulled to separate the tear strip from the front flange.

Abstract: A zipper assembly for a resealable package can include opposing webs each having an interlocking side and an opposite film side. Each of the interlocking sides can have a protruding interlocking body that mates with the protruding interlocking body of the other interlocking side to mate the webs with each other. The zipper assembly also can include PSA layers on the film sides of the webs. The PSA layers can include PSA that couples the webs to inside surfaces of films of the resealable package. The zipper assembly can include release liners disposed on the PSA layers. The release liners can be separated from the PSA layers prior to pressing the webs and the PSA layers into contact with the films of the resealable package to adhere the webs to the films.

Abstract: A resealable bag assembly can include an open-ended bag and a zipper assembly having a tear strip. Interlocking profile bodies of the zipper assembly can repeatedly mate with each other to seal the bag closed and separate from each other to open the bag. The tear strip can be pulled to tear an opening through the zipper assembly. In contrast to some known bag assemblies having tear strips along top edges, top bends, or top folds in the bag assemblies, one or more examples of the zipper assemblies described herein may position the tear strip along a front side or surface of the bag assembly, which also can be the surface of the bag assembly that is presented to a consumer and may include indicia identifying the product inside the bag assembly and/or the entity manufacturing or selling the product.

Abstract: A reclosable enclosure includes a body having a front panel and a back panel secured to each other and forming a cavity therebetween to store contents. The body includes a flap that extends from a top end of the body. The reclosable enclosure includes a zipper assembly coupled to an interior surface of at least the front panel. The zipper assembly includes a first profile strip and a second profile strip that form a reclosable zipper to selectively close the cavity. The flap blocks access to the reclosable zipper and is sealed to at least one of the front panel or the second profile strip in an intact state of the flap. The flap defines one or more lines of weakness to permit irreparable separation of a sub-flap from a remainder of the flap to access the reclosable zipper.

Abstract: A zipper assembly for a resealable enclosure can include an elongated flange having a panel side and an opposite facing side. The panel side can be coupled with an inner surface of a panel of the resealable enclosure. The zipper assembly can include an interlocking element protruding from the flange. The interlocking element can be shaped to mate with another interlocking element of another flange to close the enclosure and shaped to be pulled apart to open the enclosure. The zipper assembly also can include a tear strip disposed in the flange. The tear strip can be pulled to tear through the panel of the resealable enclosure to provide access to the zipper assembly inside the enclosure. The tear strip can have a larger thickness than the flange between the panel side and the facing side of the flange.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an elongated supply strip formed from an elongated profile body and an elongated flange and modifying portions of the profile body and/or the flange in different locations along a length of the supply strip to define termination ends of closure strips. The supply strip is separated into at least one of the closure strips at the termination ends. The flange in the closure strip is coupled to one or more panels of a resealable enclosure, and the panels are partially sealed to define an opening into the resealable enclosure. The profile body is configured to repeatedly couple with and decouple from itself to close and open the opening in the resealable enclosure. The panels are sealed to each other such that the ends of the closure strip are sealed between the panels.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes moving a first web of flexible material in a web direction. The method then includes attaching fastener strips to the first web. The fastener strips are spaced-apart a predetermined distance along a transverse direction to the web direction. An enclosure is formed from the first web including a front wall, a back wall, a first lateral side wall, and a second lateral side wall. The front wall opposes the back wall, and the first lateral side wall opposes the second lateral side wall. The enclosure includes an upper end openable by separating the fastener strips. Corners are formed in the enclosure between the front wall, the back wall, the first lateral side wall, and the second lateral side wall. The corners are formed from the predetermined distance between the fastener strips and the fastener strips are spaced apart from each other by the corners.

Abstract: A repulpable zipper is provided for attachment to a repulpable flexible package. The repulpable zipper is formed using a water-soluble polymer combined with a repulpable material, such as a plant-based cellulose material. The repulpable zipper enables the repulpable package to be opened and closed by the consumer, so that the consumer has the option to determine, change or manipulate the contents of the repulpable flexible package.

Abstract: A reclosable enclosure includes a body having a front panel and a back panel secured to each other and forming a cavity therebetween to store contents. The body includes a flap that extends from a top end of the body. The reclosable enclosure includes a zipper assembly coupled to an interior surface of at least the front panel. The zipper assembly includes a first profile strip and a second profile strip that form a reclosable zipper to selectively close the cavity. The flap blocks access to the reclosable zipper and is sealed to at least one of the front panel or the second profile strip in an intact state of the flap. The flap defines one or more lines of weakness to permit irreparable separation of a sub-flap from a remainder of the flap to access the reclosable zipper.

Abstract: A biodegradable (repulpable, compostable and/or water soluble) zipper is provided for attachment to a biodegradable flexible package. The biodegradable zipper is formed using a water-soluble polymer that can be combined with a repulpable and/or compostable material, such as a plant-based cellulose material. The biodegradable zipper enables the biodegradable package to be opened and closed by the consumer, so that the consumer has the option to determine, change or manipulate the contents of the biodegradable flexible package.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an elongated supply strip formed from an elongated profile body and an elongated flange and modifying portions of the profile body and/or the flange in different locations along a length of the supply strip to define termination ends of closure strips. The supply strip is separated into at least one of the closure strips at the termination ends. The flange in the closure strip is coupled to one or more panels of a resealable enclosure, and the panels are partially sealed to define an opening into the resealable enclosure. The profile body is configured to repeatedly couple with and decouple from itself to close and open the opening in the resealable enclosure. The panels are sealed to each other such that the ends of the closure strip are sealed between the panels.

Abstract: A repulpable zipper is provided for attachment to a repulpable flexible package. The repulpable zipper is formed using a water-soluble polymer combined with a repulpable material, such as a plant-based cellulose material. The repulpable zipper enables the repulpable package to be opened and closed by the consumer, so that the consumer has the option to determine, change or manipulate the contents of the repulpable flexible package.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to various embodiments of zippers with a tear flange for use in a reclosable flexible package or bag. A line of weakness can be introduced into the tear flange by application of a peel seal polymer resin or of a foaming agent. The disclosure includes further embodiments wherein lines of weakness are introduced into the flange of zippers in reclosable packages or bags.